Life has a funny way of throwing you curve balls when you were expecting a nice easy slow pitch softball. Here I am, a couple of weeks after my doctoral graduation (I swear Dad, it's my last) and I'm getting ready to head to the Gambia. The Gambia? And that is where? Most people familiar with my history assume it is somewhere in India, the country of my dissertation work and most common destination of travel over the last 3 years. But surprise...I'm going back to Africa!
So how did all this come to happen? Let's go back to the beginning. Over the summer, my dissertation adviser, Dr. Anne Wallis (http://abwallis.blogspot.com/), heard about a potential teaching opportunity in the Gambia. We put together some potential course descriptions, sent it off to our contact, and put that pot on the back burner as I was working hard to finish my dissertation. September 18 (the day before my dissertation defense), I get an email from a former student, Edrisa Sanyang, who is now coordinating this brand new master's program at the University of the Gambia in the Republic of the Gambia. What a small world, right? They want me to teach Epidemiology I for their new program. Great! I'm really excited, but didn't really read the email closely as my dissertation defense was the following afternoon. The next email actually put a date on my first teaching position...October 4th. Wait, what? I just defended my dissertation and thought I would have the rest of my fall semester to relax, catch up on my reading list, and watch some netflix, now it looks like I have 1 week to get ready to teach a class. Am I ready? Absolutely not! So I spent the next 12 weeks frantically putting powerpoint presentations together for my twice weekly, 90 minute lecture. Lucky for me, I was able to teach from my cosy home office in Coralville, so I didn't have go to far for my morning lectures. But, as part of this deal, UTG planned to fly me to the Gambia to teach in person for a few weeks. Yeah! My in person teaching was scheduled for the two weeks following Thanksgiving. So despite some scheduling issues, I was excited. Planning a trip to Africa, getting ready for graduation, and Christmas.
Now where does this job come into play? Two weeks before my trip to the Gambia, a friend asks my opinion of the new Peace Corps Global Health Partnership program to which he was considering applying. While looking at that opportunity, I browsed the opportunities available for returned Peace Corps volunteers (I served in Togo from 2004-2005). And what do I see? A 6 month position in the Gambia teaching with the School of Public Health. Interesting. Looks similar to what I am already doing. What a coincidence...I am currently an adjunct professor with UTG and will be traveling to the country in less than two weeks to teach. So I go ahead and apply. I get a request for an interview the very next morning! I interview the following week, and get my initial medical and legal clearance before my trip to the Gambia. The first day I arrived in Brikama, the Peace Corps offered me the position! Wow, that happened fast! After meeting with the outgoing PCRs and faculty at the college, I accepted the position. So starting in February, I'll be heading back to the Gambia to teach. Three classes. Oh and mentoring students. And faculty. And do a research project for the Epidemiology and Disease Control Unit. In my free time, what little there is of that precious time. Needless to say, I am quite excited. And while I don't know exactly when I will be leaving, I know it will be in the next 4 weeks and I need to start packing immediately!
If you want to read about my November trip to the Gambia, check out Anne Wallis' blog (http://abwallis.blogspot.com/2012/12/guest-blogger-dr-erin-reynolds-on.html).
